XP pro as VPN server

[waytech2003]

I am trying to setup an XP-pro computer as a VPN server so I can connect to it from my home XP-home computer.

I have set the Pro computer to allow incoming VPN connections. It is behind a Speedstream 4200 DSL Modum/Router. I have set port forwarding to that computer as follows.
TCP PPTP/1723
TCP 3389, 500, 50-51
UPD 3389, 500, 50-51, 47
GRE 47
I have also set the Firewall DMZ to this computer.

I do not know much about VPN so all of the above settings were done in different stages tyring to get this to work.

I set the XP-home computer to make a connection, and all I ever get is ERROR: 678, Remote computer did not respond.

I can make a VPN connection to my wife's workplace computers so I assume that there are no problems with my XP-home setups.

Any ideas?

 

[maya14]

Few things to check:

Internal IP address ranges must be different.
Try and specify manual IP range on XP Pro for incomings connections.
DHCP on router?
Static IP address on XP Pro.
Do you use DynDNS?
Firewall issues.

 

[waytech2003]

Thanks for the reply

XP pro has Static IP of 192.168.254.91

DHCP range on DSL/Router is 192.168.254 90 to 150

Not sure what DynDNS is.
On router, DNS server is set as, (Use WAN)

As far as firewalls, it is turned off in router and DMZ to set to IP of XP pro. Have even tried turning windows firewall off on XP pro, as an experiment.

 

[waytech2003]

Maya14

I found out what DnyDNS is. No I have a Static IP from my ISP

 

[StephenMDW]

Have you fixed it ?

192.168.254.91 is a private range, so you won't access it from the Internet. Your ISP allocates dynamic IPs. DynDNS gives you a dynamic domain name that goes with your dynamically associated IP address (everytime your ISP changes the IP, dynDNS is updated so that access to your dynDomain is always working).

Sounds like something is blocking the connection. Try a telnet PublicIP Port to see whether you get an answer and take it from there (answer means problem is after your router, etc...)

I couldn't be asked with the direct option (too risky/complex setup) so we went down the on-demand VPN software solution route.

We use WallCooler between the office, home and employees laptops (we have a small flower delivery/party business). Great tool in terms of simplicity and connectivity: install in the office and laptop and that's it, you get a full VPN. Other tools are also good (logmein, gotomypc) if you require remote screen access only which we used first.

 

[StephenMDW]

I guess you could google for the websites, but here they are:

WallCooler:

http://www.vedivi.com

logmein:

http://www.lggmein.com

gotomypc:

http://www.gotomypc.co

 

[waytech2003]

Yes I got this working to a limited degree.

What I have to do to get the system to work is set my DSL modem to Bridge mode. Then I can setup XP to connect as a PPPoE connection. Now I can connect to the ISP static IP from the internet. That gets me into my XP system where I can work with files.

I do not want to Remote Control that computer, I want to logon the network. Anyway I still am working on getting the router to pass VPN, but for now at least I can get the files when I need them.

Thanks

 

[burtsbees]

Using XP Pro as a VPN server, you may as well just statically nat port 3389 for RDP across the internet---both are very insecure.

Burt

 

[linsysadmin]

I would reccommend a relatively ancient piece of machinery with two network cards between the router and your internal network, with IPCop installed on it (how-to at

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_linux_firewall_ipcop).

This by the way will INCREASE your network security right off the bat. Then, go ahead and install openvpn on the ipcop box (

http://thinkhole.org/wp/2006/03/28/ipcop-openvpn-howto/).

The how-to's are pretty easy. Alls you have to do at this point is download openvpn for windows (

http://openvpn.se/),

copy the file that the openvpn server on ipcop makes for you (you'll see what I mean) and plop them into the right dir on your windows box and you can establish a connection into your network remotely. Then, it's just like you were plugged into ethernet at the office (except for the speed..) - you can print, browse shares, access the exchange server, RDP into other computer (without, oh GOD no, without EVER, opening up the RDP port on your router).

Hope this helps.

This is just the strategic overview, but you will find the how-tos are very complete on this.

 

[burtsbees]

Totally agree---IP Cop is great.

Burt

 

[waytech2003]

Thank you, I will look into this